Help protect our treasure islands
Date: 22 December 2008
The Department of Conservation (DOC) and the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) are appealing to people visiting islands in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park this summer to do their bit to help keep them free of introduced pests.
Richard Griffiths, DOC Programme Manager Biodiversity said the only way pests such as rodents can get to many of the islands is by stowing away on boats.
"There were two cases of rats getting to islands last summer, one on Motuihe and the other on Motuora, which highlights that it happens more often than we think. Both these islands are beyond the swimming distance of rodents. Even Norway rats, the strongest swimming rodent species, can swim little more than 1km," he said.
"Rats can devastate an island's wildlife and have the potential to breed rapidly. It has been estimated that under ideal conditions, a single pair of Norway rats could produce 15,000 offspring in one year.
Mr Griffiths said making sure that rats and mice are not on board when people head out for a day on the water is the most important thing. If the boat is a small one then a quick scan is generally sufficient. However, with bigger vessels it is sensible to maintain rodent bait stations or traps on board.
"By taking this simple step, fisherman and boat owners can make all the difference in keeping pests off the Hauraki Gulf islands," he said.
It is also important to check boats, packs, clothing and boots for insects and weed seeds before going ashore, and to leave pets behind, including dogs, as they are not permitted on conservation islands.
Some of the most popular destinations in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park are free of pests, including Motuora, Tiritiri Matangi, Rakino, Motuihe and Motukorea (Browns Island). This list is set to expand with DOC's eradication of Rangitoto and Motutapu planned to start in June 2009.
These islands provide a safe haven for many of our rarest and most endangered animals such as kiwi, tuatara, hihi (stitchbird) and tieke (saddleback).
"At the end of the day it is up to all of us to ensure we don't transport unwanted pests to an island," said Mr Griffiths.